What started as a recommendation from coaches turned into a passion for a Salmon Arm hockey player.

Nic Barbosa moved to Salmon Arm from Terrace when he was eight.

As a youngster he loved playing hockey and was always at the rink. His coaches suggested he look into refereeing.

鈥淢y coaches said it would be a good thing to do, to know the rules 鈥� and I kind of fell in love with it.鈥�

So, at 12, Barbosa began his refereeing career. He liked communicating with the teams, knowing all the rules, building confidence.

Now 20, the love continues.

Barbosa was recently presented with 鈥榤ost dedicated referee鈥� honours by the Salmon Arm Minor Hockey Association.

鈥淚t was a lot of games,鈥� he laughs, estimating he reffed somewhere around 200 games in 2022.

He said there鈥檚 no set number but he does 鈥渁s many as you can do on weekends. I was there for eight hours a day, Friday to Sunday 鈥� and then repeat. It was good, though. I liked it.鈥�

He said the money is good and if you鈥檙e doing a lot of games, it adds up.

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It鈥檚 hard to get referees for more competitive hockey, he points out, and although there are lots of first- and second-year referees, they can鈥檛 ref the higher levels.

When he was 15 or 16, he started reffing midget hockey, 17/18 year olds.

For a referee, confidence is key.

鈥淚f you aren鈥檛 confident, you鈥檙e going to get yelled at by parents,鈥� he emphasizes. 鈥淵ou need to be confident, have enthusiasm, you need to know your stuff on the ice.鈥�

He said loud insults got to him a bit in his first couple of years, but not much anymore.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e having 100, 200 fans yelling at you, coaches, wanting to talk to you when you鈥檙e 13, 14. But now that I know the rules and everything, I feel I鈥檓 pretty confident with all that.鈥�

Senior officials mentor and provide support, which he said helps a lot.

Asked about injuries, he said referees definitely get sore, sometimes from taking pucks without a lot of padding, 鈥渟lap shots from big kids.鈥�

He鈥檚 also seen a few referees take pucks to the head or get a skate blade to the hand.

鈥淚 haven鈥檛 had anything too serious, knock on wood.鈥�

Regarding fights in hockey, he said there will be the odd scrum in front of the net, or the odd person starting to throw punches, but linespeople break them up quickly.

Barbosa recently reffed the U16 BC Cup in Salmon Arm, the WHL (Western Hockey League) prospects camp for draft picks for the coming year.

鈥淚t was a good experience; I want to be able to ref junior hockey next year. Then maybe go further in the coming years.鈥�

About going beyond junior hockey, he remarked: 鈥淚t鈥檚 very hard to do, but I would hope to. If I got the opportunity I would surely go for it.鈥�

Barbosa just wrapped up his first year of a business administration degree and will be heading to 琉璃神社 next year for his second year.

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Meanwhile, he recommends refereeing 鈥�100 per cent.鈥�

鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 a good life skill to go with, the confidence part of things, learning how to talk to coaches that are older than you, calming people down on the ice, I feel it鈥檚 a very good life skill.鈥�

As a hockey fan from childhood, he was raised cheering for the Edmonton Oilers.

One referee he likes to watch in the NHL is Wes McCauley.

鈥淗e seems like a good guy,鈥� says Barbosa, pointing out as an example that when McCauley calls a person for fighting, instead of the usual signal he might do some quick air-boxing with his fists.

鈥淗e has a reputation to be one of the funnier refs out there for sure.鈥�

Barbosa speaks extremely highly of his hometown.

鈥淪almon Arm is a great place to ref in. I feel it鈥檚 the best hockey town in Canada right now.鈥�

He points to the good setup in the city, with kids coming from all over B.C. for the BC Cup, for example.

鈥淭hey just love it, they do it every year in Salmon Arm just because they feel it鈥檚 a great place to do it in鈥� It鈥檚 a hockey town.鈥�

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